A prospective randomized study confirms the efficacy and safety of Transdermal buprenorphine (TDB) patch for relieving postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery.

The study included 200 senior citizen patients (60-75 years old) who underwent TKA surgery with neuraxial blockade anaesthesia via periarticular local anaesthetic infiltration and epidural/femoral nerve block infusion for 72 hours after surgery.

The study population was divided into 2 groups as Group A and B. Group A patients were transdermally applied with a 5mcg patch of buprenorphine and Group B patients received paracetamol and tramadol combination. As rescue analgesia diclofenac iv was administered to all the patients. The outcomes like side effects, pain at rest and pain on movement were compared over 7 days by numerical rating scale. 

It was found that pain at rest and on movement was significantly lower and less rescue analgesia was required in Group A. Respiratory depression and local erythema were observed in 1 and 3 patients respectively.

Thus, the TDB patch can be safely used for postoperative pain control after TKA surgery.